1 . Crackle is a website that lets you stream free movies and watch free TV shows on your computer, phone, and tablet. Although you'll need to sit through a few commercial breaks during the movies and shows, an awesome selection of programming, as well as a decent video quality, will have you coming back again and again.
View Crackle's Free Movies
Movies at Crackle are organized into types to help you find thrillers, comedies, action movies, Crackle original movies, dramas, crime movies, horror films, and more. You can sort the free movies alphabetically or by recently added so you can check back as often as you want to see what they've been including in their free selection.
Crackle regularly has around 100 free, full-length movies that you watch any time you want. New movies are constantly being added and retired from Crackle, so you'll always find something new to watch.
View Crackle's Free TV Shows
Like the movies section, the TV shows you can find here include many types of programs and original Crackle series that you can't find anywhere else. Crackle keeps videos during a particular time and then removes them. This means if you watch part of a movie one day, it's quite possible that it could be gone the next before you can finish it.
How to Stream Crackle Movies & TV Shows
Crackle works on lots of devices. You can follow the links above to see the movies and TV shows on your computer, but there's also a Crackle movie app so that you can stream the videos on your phone or tablet. You can download the Crackle mobile app on iOS devices, Android phones and tablets, and other devices.
1. What can be learned about Crackle from the first paragraph?| A．It inserts several advertisements during films. |
| B．It attracts more viewers due to its web design. |
| C．It charges viewers fees to enjoy all its programs. |
| D．It requires viewers to download programs to watch. |
| A．They are all produced by Crackle. | B．They are classified by time. |
| C．They are easy to find and appreciate. | D．They are kept on Crackle all the time. |
| A．An announcement. | B．An advertisement. |
| C．An art works review. | D．An official report. |
2 . Tracking wildlife is a tough job. Take the case of a one-eared leopard named Pavarotti.
Kasim Rafiq, a wildlife biologist at Liverpool John Moores University. “So I used to get up at the crack of dawn, follow his tracks and try and find him. So one day, I went out, and I was looking for him. And his tracks took me off road through this woodland area...and...”
Before he knew it, the wheel of his Land Rover was stuck in a deep hole. He wasted several hours getting it out. And then, on the way back to camp, he came across some local tour guides and their safari (观赏野兽的旅行) guests, who’d had way better luck spotting Pavarotti. “Basically, they laughed and they talked to me that they’d seen him that morning.”
Rafiq then realized that tourist wildlife sightings might be an untapped source of information about wild animals.
So he and his team worked with a safari lodge in Botswana to analyze 25,000 tourist photographs of wildlife. They compared those data to the estimates they made with traditional wildlife biology methods.
It turned out that the estimates from tourists’ photos were just as good as those gleaned (四处搜集) from traditional methods. And the tourists were actually the only ones to see elusive (难以捉摸的) leopards — the researchers would have missed the cats without the citizen science data. The results are in the journal Current Biology.
The idea is not to put wildlife researchers out of a job. “The reality is there are so many interesting things we still have to find out about these large carnivores (食肉动物) and so many conservation (保护) projects that need to be carried out that we don’t have the time or resources to do them all.” And tourist photos might help make sure that all the local carnivores are spotted.
Thanks for listening for Scientific American-60-Second Science. I’m Christopher Intagliata.
1. What happened to Rafiq when he tracked Pavarotti?| A．He was lost in the woods. |
| B．He was trapped in a deep hole. |
| C．He found Pavarotti with tourists’ help. |
| D．He met Pavarotti on the way back to camp. |
| A．The photos are sources of information about wildlife. |
| B．The photos are mirrors of the wildlife researchers’ life. |
| C．The photos taken by tourists are of high quality. |
| D．The photos taken by tourists are especially beautiful. |
| A．The researchers have missed the data of cats. |
| B．The information from tourists’ photos was equally good. |
| C．The value of tourist photos hasn’t been proven. |
| D．Only the traditional methods can track wildlife. |
| A．On TV. | B．In a magazine. | C．On a radio. | D．In a book. |
3 . Tourist Guide to the National Gallery
Opening hours: Daily 10: 00 am- -6: 00 pm; Friday 10: 00 am- 9: 00 pm
Closed: 2426 December
Reasons to visit:
With over 2, 300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasons to visit the Gallery. Here are some to get you started...
Get into great art. From Leonardo da Vinci to Vincent van Gogh: See priceless works of art for free.
Get creative. Brush up your skills, and create your own great works of art...
Learn about art. Discover more about paintings...
Regulations:
Talk in a low voice when you use your cellphone in the gallery
Please do not touch the paintings or other exhibits. Do not take pets in or cross the barriers.
Consume food and drink in designated areas only i.e. not in rooms that contain paintings.
Follow our no smoking policy in any part of the building.
Follow our no photograph policy in exhibitions where a sign is displayed.
Access:
The National Gallery aims to make access to the paintings enjoyable and welcoming to the widest possible public. There are a range of facilities to help you see the collection, visit exhibitions and come to events.
The Gallery offers British Sign Language-interpreted talks on paintings for visitors who are deaf, and special art sessions(展期) for visitors who can't see.
Address: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square London WC2N 5DN
Click here to find more information.
1. What are visitors allowed to do in the National Gallery?| A．Make a phone call. | B．Take a dog in. |
| C．Smoke a cigarette. | D．Take photos. |
| A．Young visitors. | B．Deaf visitors. |
| C．Blind visitors. | D．Old visitors. |
| A．In a newspaper. | B．On a poster. |
| C．In a magazine. | D．On the Internet. |
4 . While some customs like setting off fireworks and counting down the last few seconds seem universal, many countries have their own unique New Year’s Eve traditions.
Denmark: Break plates
A Danish tradition is to throw plates and dishes against friend’s and neighbor’s front doors. It’s a bit of a popularity contest as the bigger the pile of broken china is the next morning, the more friends and good luck you’ll have in the coming year.
Germany: Pouring lead
In Germany, people melt small pieces of lead in a spoon over a candle, then pour the liquid into cold water. The shapes from the lead pouring are supposed to reveal what the year ahead will bring. If the lead forms a ball, luck will roll one’s way, while the shape of a crown means wealth; a cross means death and a star will bring happiness.
Spain: Twelve grapes of luck
In Spain, one New Year’s tradition is to eat 12 grapes, one for each month of the coming year, to secure prosperity (繁荣). You need to eat one grape with each bell strike at midnight. The tradition dates from 1909 when farmers in Alicante came up with this idea to sell more grapes after an exceptional harvest.
Philippines: Round food, round clothes, round everything
In the Philippines, the start of the new year is all about the money. The locals believe that surrounding themselves with round things (to represent coins) will bring money or fortune. As a result, clothes with dots are worn and round food is eaten.
1. What is believed to bring good luck for the coming new year in Denmark?| A．A red candle. | B．Round food. | C．Broken china. | D．A lead cross. |
| A．A way to make coins. | B．An act to keep power. |
| C．A desire to be popular. | D．An idea to gain profit. |
| A．Fashion. | B．Travel. | C．Culture. | D．Entertainment. |
5 . The 21st International Environmental Children’s
Drawing Contest Application Guideline
When you grow up, what kind of natural environment would you like to live in？It’s not only humans that are living on the Earth. We share this planet with animals, birds, fish, insects, trees and plants. What will the earth be like in the future？Think of an Earth where all creatures can live together, and draw a picture from your imagination.
Theme
Our Earth in 2030
Age
Children aged 7 through 15
Time
October 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021
Requirements
1. Paper size: 257x364mm or smaller.
2. Draw with any type of paint, pastel, etc. you like.
3. Please print out the application form, fill in your information（in English only）.
4. Please be sure that the drawing must be drawn by yourself.
5. Applications must be sent in groups, such as a school, should be sent in a single packet.
6. Please note that drawings with text（such as posters）will not be allowed to enter the contest.
Mailing address
Please mail your drawings to: International Environmental Children’s Drawing Contest Office
Winners announcement
August 2021（to be posted on this website）
Prizes/ Awards
48 winners will receive special memorabilia. And all the works that win the contest will have opportunities to be published in the magazine.
1. When can you hand in your drawing work？| A．May 28,2020. | B．November 1, 2020. |
| C．August 12, 2021. | D．October 1, 2021. |
| A．Paper size must be smaller than 257x364mm. | B．Applications should be sent personally. |
| C．Only pastel can be used in the drawing. | D．The drawings must come from yourself. |
| A．In a research paper. | B．In a science book. |
| C．In a nature magazine. | D．In a tourist brochure. |
6 . The UK is filled with unbelievable palaces and historic castles. Now you can take 360 degree virtual (虚拟的)tours of the attractions by just clicking(点击)your mouse at home.
Buckingham Palace
The Queen's palace offers 360 degree virtual tours of rooms including the Throne Room, Grand Staircase and the White Drawing Room. There are clickable “information points" which when clicked can explain the history of the rooms. CLICK HERE
Palace of Holyrood House
The Queen's official palace in Edinburgh is packed with history. The palace is usually open year round to the public, but for those who can't visit for whatever reasons, you can take virtual tours of some of the amazing rooms including the Morning Drawing Room and Royal Dining Room. CLICK HERE
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace offers 360 degree virtual tours of some of its beautiful state rooms from the grand Drawing Rooms and Saloons to the Great Hall. You can choose to listen to the audio (声首) guide which not only gives you a quick look inside, but offers lots of exciting details. CLICK HERE
Edinburgh Castle
Here is a great visual trip to Edinburgh Castle. You can visit the historic ruins and have some wonderful views of Edinburgh itself. You can also zoom in (拉近)or out to get an idea of the museums and interesting places to explore, as well as 3D models of the castle. CLICK HERE
1. What do the four places have in common?| A．They are the Queen's palaces. |
| B．They provide online virtual tours. |
| C．They are open to the public all year round. |
| D．They have clickable "information points”. |
| A．It has become ruins. | B．It offers audio guides. |
| C．3D models of it are provided. | D．History of the castle is unknown. |
| A．A website. | B．A travel guidebook. |
| C．A newspaper. | D．A medical magazine. |
J&M Music Store ·Rock, pop and country music ·Buy CDs new or used ·Listen before you buy ·Guitar lessons offered | Peth Market ·Fresh fruit and vegetables ·Open Friday to Sunday mornings ·Free ice cream for children under 12 |
Times Coffee Shop ·The best coffee in town ·Sandwiches, cakes, pies ·Open 10:00a.m. —11:00p.m. daily ·Jazz music (Wednesday to Sunday) | Macon’s B&B ·Feel like home when you’re away from ·We have different kinds of rooms ·Delicious homemade breakfast |
1. You can ________ at J&M Music Store.
| A．receive guitar lessons | B．borrow new or used CDs |
| C．learn pop music history | D．buy all kinds of music books |
| A．8:30a.m. | B．9:30a.m. | C．10:30p.m. | D．11:30p.m. |
| A．In J&M Music Store. | B．In Peth Market. |
| C．At Times Coffee Shop. | D．At Macon’s B&B |
| A．There is no breakfast at Macon’s B& |
| B．You can’t listen to the CD before you buy it. |
| C．Times Coffee Shop offers Jazz music every day. |
| D．Kids under 12 can get free ice cream in Peth Market. |
| A．A dictionary. | B．newspaper. |
| C．A story book. | D．A science report. |
8 . People have known for a long time that plants can hear, see, smell and communicate with each other. Now, they have been recorded making sounds when stressed.
In a study, Itzhak Khait and his team found that tomato and tobacco plants can make ultrasonic( 超声的 ) noises. The plant “cry out” due to lack of water, or when they are cut. The sound is just too high for human to hear.
Microphones were placed 10 centimeters away from the plants and picked up sounds in the range of 20 to 100,000 hertz( 赫兹). Human hearing usually ranges from 20 to 20,000 hertz. On average, “thirsty” tomato plants made 35 sounds an hour, while tobacco plants made 11. When plant was cut, tomato plants made an average of 25 sounds in the following hour, and tobacco plants 15.
Perhaps most interestingly, different types of stress led to different sounds. The researchers used a special machine to separate the plants’ sounds from those of wind, rain and other noises of the greenhouses. In most cases, it correctly told whether the stress was caused by dryness or a cut. Water-hungry tobacco made louder sounds than cut tobacco, for example. Although Khait and his team only looked at tomato and tobacco plants, they thought other plants also made sounds when stressed. Khait’s report also suggested that insects could hear the sound up to 5 meters away and respond.
The team said if farmers could hear these sounds, they could give plants the water they need. As climate change causes more droughts(干旱), they said this would be important information for farmers, for the sound that drought-stressed plants made could be used in agriculture.
If plants are screaming for fear of their survival, should we be thankful we can’t hear them?
1. Which did Khait and his team find from their research?| A．Only tomato plants could make ultrasonic noises. |
| B．Humans can hear plants crying while cutting them. |
| C．Plants were able to produce sounds when stressed. |
| D．Plants made ultrasonic noises to communicate with each other. |
| A．Cut tobacco plants made weaker sounds than drought-stressed ones. |
| B．Tomato plants reacted to different stresses with the same sound. |
| C．Cut tomato plants produced more sounds than water-hungry ones. |
| D．Tobacco plants made louder sounds than tomato plants when short of water. |
| A．Farmers imagine what the future agriculture will be like. |
| B．Farmers have contributed a lot to the research. |
| C．Farmers can apply the result of the research to agriculture. |
| D．Farmers will face lots of challenges in the future. |
| A．A nature magazine. | B．A novel. | C．A diary. | D．A guidebook. |
9 . We all need Vitamin （维生素）D because it helps to build and keep strong bones. A lack of it can lead to some bone diseases. As studies show, sunlight is great for making Vitamin D. When you're outdoors, your body will create the Vitamin D you need from direct sunlight on your skin.
In order to get enough Vitamin D, you should get 10-30 minutes of sunlight at a time, several times a week. However, people with darker skin may need a little more time than this. Besides, your exposure （暴露）time in the sunlight should rely on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight. Too much sunlight can be dangerous, for it may cause some bad results, including sunburn, eye damage, and skin problems. If you have to stay in the sunlight for a long time, you should be careful not to let sunlight hurt your skin, so take care to protect your skin with sunscreen before it starts to turn red.
In a word, your ability to make Vitamin D from sunlight depends on the time of day, your skin color, where you live and so on. Keep those in mind when you go out for Vitamin D from sunlight.
1. Why do people need Vitamin D according to Paragraph 1?| A．To keep their hair healthy. | B．To make their teeth white. |
| C．To make their faces pretty. | D．To keep their bones strong. |
| A．doing some exercise | B．losing much weight |
| C．staying in the sunlight | D．walking in the moonlight |
| A．Lung diseases. | B．Skin problems. |
| C．Heart diseases. | D．Breath problems. |
| A．防晒霜 | B．防水服 | C．防尘罩 | D．防腐剂 |
| A．A story book. | B．A telephone book. |
| C．A health magazine. | D．A music magazine. |
10 . Basketball fans around the world are mourning the death of American superstar Kobe Bryant.
Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash Sunday in California, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people. He was 41 years old.
Bryant was an 18-time All-Star player. He won five NBA championships and two Olympic gold medals. He was widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The helicopter carrying Bryant and the others crashed into a hilly area in foggy conditions outside Los Angeles. Bryant lived south of Los Angeles and often used helicopters to travel around the area to save time and avoid Southern California traffic.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. It took place about 32 kilometers from Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy, a basketball training center in Newbury Park, California. Bryant was on his way to attend a youth basketball competition on Sunday with his daughter. Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, had four daughters.
When he retired from the NBA in 2016, Bryant was the third-leading scorer in NBA history with 33,643 points. He is widely expected to be elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year.
The basketball world and the Los Angeles community reacted to Bryant’s death with an outpouring of sadness, disbelief and support.
In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Bryant was one of the greatest stars in the game. But he added, He will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability.
On Twitter, U.S. President Donald Trump noted the terrible news. He called Bryant one of the truly great basketball players of all time who was just getting started in life.
1. Where is the passage probably taken from?| A．A science report. | B．A biography. |
| C．A textbook. | D．A newspaper. |
| A．his death | B．his achievements |
| C．his inspiration | D．his talent |
| A．careful examination | B．evidence |
| C．discussion | D．argument |
| A．Hearing the death of Kobe, fans around the world were very sad. |
| B．There were nine passengers on board, including one of his daughters. |
| C．Bryant was to attend a basketball competition with his daughter. |
| D．Bryant used the helicopter to save time and avoid the traffic jam on a fine day. |
